Toms River Native Todd Frazier Wins Home Run Derby

by Tom Davis

Once a Little League World Series hero; now a Home Run Derby champ: Toms River native Todd Frazier is touching all the bases.

Frazier, an All-Star Cincinnati Reds outfielder, won the 2015 Home Run Derby championship Monday night, defeating Joc Pederson of the Los Angeles Dodgers 15-14 in the finals.

The hometown crowd went crazy just as Frazier hit his last dinger. The public address announcer recognized Frazier’s roots as a boy who idolized Derek Jeter, playing Frank Sinatra when he won.

Frazier launched a combined 39 home runs at Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark on Monday, and energized his own fans with a series of last-second heroics.

He wielded a black bat engraved with the words “New Jersey’s finest,”and hit the most home runs of any of the eight contestants in the competition’s first round, according to SI.com.

Frazier, also a former Toms River High School South baseball star, will be the starting third baseman for the National League in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game on Tuesday.

The Cincinnati Reds star, who also starred at Rutgers but made a name for himself as an all-star Little Leaguer, received the starting nod thanks to fan voting.

The All-Star game is Tuesday in Cincinnati, meaning Frazier will get to start in his home ballpark.

It will be the second straight appearance in the All-Star game for Frazier, who is in his fifth season with the Reds.

“Pinch me now thanks 2everyone who voted for me 2 start my 1st all star game. Thank u teammates coaches family and most importantly my fans,’’ Frazier tweeted Sunday night.